File puptcrit/puptcrit.0807, message 306


From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Mathieu_Ren=E9?= <creaturiste-AT-primus.ca>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:38:11 -0400
Subject: [Puptcrit] Retail jobs: suitable for puppet artists?


Hi all.

While I'm always looking for a permanent or long term position in Puppetry 
(building/performing, local or abroad), in the meantime I took a day job to 
help pay the bills. The puppet contracts continue undisturbed, although 
should I get more of them, the daytime work hours would be reduced to 
part-time, to accomodate my true calling.

I just found out my previously wonderful new job has a dark side, namely the 
store is run by bullies.
And bullies can't stand having their authorities questionned or even subtly 
resisted, so they make sure they get you out of the way.

Which happened to me just this week.
So, my questions to my fellow puptcritters:

Are retail jobs possible (and /or suitable) for artists who are used to 
think and stand up for themselves?
What can one do about it (after being fired or after quitting of course), 
when one knows stores have a steady inflow of slaves waiting in line for a 
job opportunity? The abuse just goes on, because they can get away with it!
I sure would like to know of a way to make them understand, and if they 
don't a way to make them stop their abuse. I'd really want to know about 
success stories as well as nightmares you might have lived while trying to 
earn a living when the puppet contracts were not enough...

What can a puppet artist do about it?
Maybe build a show about bullies at work?
Maybe use the staff as characters?


- - -
Background (a bit of a lenghty rant):

The colleagues at the store I started working at about three weeks ago are 
all good, honest working people with all the right skills and more. We are 
all being treated with lack of respect (some rules are ridiculous and 
inflexible, some comments and attidudes are degrading, there have been some 
shouting), but with enough subtletly that it doesn't really show on the 
surface. Some of us probably don't even notice it, or just accept it as 
normal, sadly.
To me, NORMAL does not automatically mean it is RIGHT. I do speak up when I 
think something is wrong.
Most bully bosses I've dealt with can't stand questions, especially if you 
ask about the reason behind the rules they impose. One is supposed to accept 
a seemingly unreasonnable situation without questionning it?

I was just transfered to the warehouse (the choice was either that or 
quitting), to label and sort mechandise, having been deemed (by the manager 
who hired me) unfit for customer service. Which is a ridiculous judgement, I 
have only received positive feedback from my customer service there (from 
customers and even from fellow employees), and anywhere else in the past. 
I've learned most of the store's inventory in reccord time and was already 
pretty much autonomous with customers after 3 weeks of very part-time work. 
All the time and money they spent on training me (includes paid training in 
jewelry making) is now wasted for them because of a lack of judgement by an 
inexperienced manager.  I am insulted and furious, but at the same time, 
strangely calm, because I know I am not going to stay there very long. Too 
bad for them, I was honestly looking for something stable where I could 
contribute to the growth.

>From a  variety of events and comments, I am now certain I am being bullied 
into resigning, and at the same time put in a position to make it easy for 
them to fire me legally in a week or two (the sweatshop job I was assigned 
to do can be done soon and they can claim there is no more work for me). The 
manager is very new there. A friend I confided in tells me she believes he 
might feel threatened by my quick learning, which would explain why he would 
change his mind about hiring me, when he first was so impressed with my 
resume. If that is the case, maybe I should have mentionned, during the 
interviews (I had two, one with an external consultant), that I was not 
interested in a promotion. Oh well, can't ease every paranoia if you don't 
know about them.

Now I work in the dusty warehouse, under bad lighting and worse air 
circulation (the dust and heat are intense), examining thousands of spools 
of wire for defects, every day. About 50% are deffective, and need to be 
re-sent to the supplier. No matter what, I can't bring myself to do a bad 
job, so I made a proper setup, devised a system. I'm efficient and quick at 
it, but I do hate it with a passion. Even with my music player and 
headphones (which the business owner warns me today he might decide to 
forbid, as I created a precedent), the time there is excruciatingly boring. 
I feel like my time and skills are wasted there. But I won't quit  until I 
find another work, or until they give me a quotable reason to do so 
(whichever comes first, I do want my severance pay after all). When I leave 
them, I'll make sure I tell them what's on my mind. Maybe they will ignore 
my words, but at least I will have tried and be able to sleep without 
regret.

It wouldn't be the first time. My previous retail job, years ago,  was also 
ruled by a bully. I told her "the truth" when I resigned (she insulted me 
one time too many), and it felt wonderful and liberating.  I know she 
continued to mistreat her employees, continuing the pattern (at least 60 
people resigned during the year I worked for her).
I filed a complaint with the worker's rights, but didn't see any real 
effect. The next time I visited the store to see a friend still working 
there (she really needed the money), the boss treated me like royalty. She 
was always a very convincing two-face.

In a way, her abuse tought me a lot about standing up for myself. Maybe this 
current job is the universe's way of teaching me how to get the next level 
of respect... I used to be shy, docile and quiet. Nowadays I'm extroverted 
and accomodating but resistant to injustice.
What will happen in a few days???
I'm kinda scared with the possibilities...
Watch out world!
LoL

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